Cooking with beer: Best-brewed recipes

This dip makes a tasty appetizer or sauce for tacos. (Photo by Emily Ryan)

There’s no shortage of award-winning craft beers to try this summer. But instead of just enjoying a cold one at barbecues and picnics, why not add some suds to the food itself?

“I typically like to cook with malt-dominated beers as opposed to hop-dominated beers,” said Matt Krueger, vice president of retail operations for Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown. “A lot of Belgian ales tend to be rich and complex, and they translate very well when you cook them down.”

“If I were to cook something in front of people and I wanted to show off a bit, I like to cook with mollusks and beer: P.E.I. mussels in Golden Monkey butter broth,” described the former Victory chef. “The real payday is taking hard, crusty Italian or French bread and soaking up this broth.”

Craig Coffman of Sly Fox Brewing Company in Pottstown favors a similar recipe with his beer, of course.

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“Saison Vos is nice to cook with and to pair with that dish,” said the Tastin’ Room general manager, where several selections include beer. “We put beer in salad dressings. We brine brisket with Irish dry stout. Those roasted characters stand up well with a big piece of red meat. We put Helles Golden Lager in our chili recipe.”

At Round Guys Brewing Company in Lansdale, “Definitely my favorite beer to cook with is our Fear of a Brett Planet. It’s technically a pale ale, but it’s very hoppy for ale,” explained chef and brewer Ryan Sauer. “Unlike using an IPA, I’m not going to overpower the flavors in my dish, but it definitely makes an impact.”

He serves a beer cheese dipping sauce with pretzels, in tacos and on nachos. Sauer also substitutes sour beer for vinegar and prepares meat with beer.

“There’s a lot you can do,” he said. “You can cook almost completely in beer. All the alcohol comes off, and you really get a different flavor than you’re used to.”

“Over the years we’ve cooked with beer a lot,” he added. “We used to do a chocolate porter cake.”

So from appetizers to desserts - draft some new recipes, impress guests and remember these words of advice:

“Experiment. Try different beers with different dishes,” Coffman suggested. “That’s part of the fun of cooking with beer. If something doesn’t work out quite right, you get to enjoy a beer anyway.”

And from Krueger: “If a recipe calls for a bottle of beer, get two. So you can have one while you cook.”

Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce

1/4 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

1 to 2 cups beer (depending on desired strength of beer flavor)

1/2 cup American cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/4 cup taco seasoning

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3/4 cup water

1/2 pound cream cheese

Add butter to pan over low heat. Once melted, stir in flour to create a golden brown roux. Add beer (I recommend an IPA or hoppy pale ale to increase beer flavor or a lager to mute it) and water. Whisk to an even consistency. Bring to a simmer and add seasoning. Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cheese one small handful at a time (cream cheese should be cut into small pieces), whisking and letting the previous handful melt before adding more.

Serve as a dipping sauce with tortilla chips or pretzels, or alternatively add to Mexican dishes. Serves 10.

Recipe courtesy of Round Guys Brewing Company

Saison Vos Mussels

1 pound fresh mussels, cleaned

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 small shallots, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup Sly Fox Saison Vos or similar saison

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Rinse the mussels well in cold water, making sure they are still alive. Tap the shells of any open mussels. If they don’t close, discard. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until translucent. Do not let the mixture brown. Reduce the heat to medium, pour in the beer and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened. Discard mussels that do not open. Turn off the heat, add the butter and parsley, and stir thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mussels and all the juices to a serving dish and enjoy hot. Makes 1 to 2 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Sly Fox Brewing Company

Voodoo Shrimp

Voodoo Barbeque Sauce:

2 ounces blended oil

1 cup onion, small diced

3 cups red pepper, small diced

1 ounce minced garlic

8 ounces LA BBQ spice (see below)

1 cup Vienna Red Lager

7 cups water

1 gallon KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce

2 cups corn syrup

1 tablespoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

4 ounces molasses

In medium two-handled stock pot, heat oil until hot over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and add onions and peppers. Caramelize onions and peppers in oil. Add garlic and spices and aromatize. Add lager and reduce by half. Add water, BBQ sauce, corn syrup, Tabasco and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir often. Puree with immersion blender until smooth. Check the salt and pepper. Can be stored in refrigerator for 7 days.

LA BBQ Spice:

1 cup cayenne pepper

1 cup ground black pepper

4 ounces kosher salt

4 ounces red pepper flakes

4 ounces dried thyme

4 ounces dried, ground rosemary

3 tablespoons dried oregano

Puree rosemary in coffee grinder until it is fully chopped. In large stainless steel mixing bowl and with spoon, mix all ingredients until blended. Transfer to clean, dry container. Can be stored in covered container at room temperature for 30 days.

Preparation:

6 shrimp per serving

Voodoo Barbeque Sauce

White rice

Sour cream

Green onions

In a cold sauté pan, add 6 shrimp and 4 ounces of Voodoo Barbeque Sauce (per serving). Place on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until shrimp are done on the bottom half. Place the sauté pan under broiler and cook the top half of the shrimp. Take the sauté pan from under broiler and toss the shrimp with the sauce. Place hot, white rice into a 2-ounce ramekin. Place the ramekin on a plate and empty upside down. Garnish on top of the rice with a pinch of chopped scallions. Spoon shrimp and sauce onto plate. Use a pastry bag and star tip and place approximately 2 ounces of sour cream onto the plate next to the rice and garnish with a shake of paprika.